About Hortense Ellis

b. 18 April 1941, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 19 October 2000, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Ellis began her career performing on Vere Johns’ Opportunity Hour, where she appeared in six semi-finals and four finals demonstrating her vocal skills. Unfortunately, her later career was often overshadowed by her brother Alton Ellis, the man regularly referred to as the godfather of reggae. In 1962, Byron Lee enrolled her services to perform with his band the Dragonaires, and two years later she was awarded the honour of Jamaica’s best female vocalist. She also recorded with Ken Lack, enjoying hits with ‘I Shall Sing’ and ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ (later a massive international hit for Boney M. ), and with Coxsone Dodd, recording ‘I’ll Come Softly’ and ‘I’m Just A Girl’, an interpretation of Alton’s hit, ‘I’m Just A Guy’. In 1969 she was again awarded the silver cup as the island’s top female vocalist